Leftovers

• Adam Young: Bogotá

  “Get out”

  
  That was my sister, telling me via chat to get out of the cab I had just gotten in to. In her defense, I had screwed up her instructions, which was to go to the Imperial Cab counter at the airport, prepay for a ride to her apartment, and in no case was I to get directly into a cab.

• RTE ☛ Dancing with the Stars Fright Night Semi Final

  Aishah Akorede and their pro dance partner Robert Rowiński became the next celebrity couple to bid farewell to the dance floor on Dancing with the Stars tonight, following their elimination from the semi-final. Tonight’s episode saw the dance floor transform into a spine-chilling spectacle full of electrifying performances for Fright Night!

• Kev Quirk ☛ New Motorbike & Broken Phone Drama

  I recently bought a new motorbike and managed to drop my phone while riding it. Oh joy.

  I've been having a pretty tough time in work recently and, as a result, in my personal life too. So I decided to do something for myself - I bought myself a new motorbike. Not just any motorbike though, I decided to throw caution to the wind and bought myself a brand new BMW S1000 XR TE with pretty much every optional extra included.

• Science

  • Federal News Network ☛ This Library of Congress office will never run out of things to do

    "We have historically preserved so much motion picture film television and radio history. Some of that comes in through copyright monopoly deposit," said Rachel Stoeljte

  • Stanford University ☛ Students, researchers protest federal research funding cuts

    Over 70 Stanford community members — including Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi — protested at the "Stand Up for Science" rally.

  • Unicorn Media ☛ Europe Is Going for a Brain Drain Done Right!

    Dihydroxyacetone Man has created an opportunity for EU nations to attract the best and the brightest from the US. Our man in Europe gives that notion a thumbs up, while offering some advice for Americans who might be thinking the time might be right to get out of DOGE Dodge.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Reveal Battery That Can Be Powered by Nuclear Waste

    "These are breakthrough results."

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discovered a 'Yellow Brick Road' at The Bottom of The Pacific Ocean

    Where does it lead?

  • Science Alert ☛ Brain Receptors For Cannabis Could Be Why Some People Are More Resilient

    Could this be a new way to treat anxiety?

• Career/Education

  • Pro Publica ☛ Trump Administration Suspends Tribal College USDA Grant Funding

    Alexandria Ehlert has pursued a college education hoping to become a park ranger or climate scientist. Now she’s wondering whether she’ll ever finish her studies at College of Menominee Nation.

    The scholarship that kept her afloat at the tribal college in Wisconsin vanished in recent weeks, and with it her optimism about completing her degrees there and continuing her studies at a four-year institution.

• Hardware

  • CNX Software ☛ u-blox ZED-X20P all-band GNSS module delivers global centimeter-level accuracy at a 90% lower cost (TCO)

    Previously u-blox announced the release of the X20 series of all-band GNSS modules, but at the time, the company did not disclose detailed specifications for the module. Recently, they have launched the ZED-X20P all-band GNSS module designed to deliver centimeter-level global positioning at a significantly lower cost, up to 90% less than traditional solutions when considering the total cost of ownership.

  • Hackaday ☛ Solar-Powered E-Reader With No Buttons

    Modern e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle are incredible pieces of engineering, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement. A device custom-built to your own specifications is always going to provide a more satisfying experience than something purchased off the shelf. That’s why [fel88] put together this custom e-reader which offers a number of unique features, such as a solar panel on the back and button-free operation.

  • Hackaday ☛ What’s Wrong With This Antenna Tuner?

    [Tech Minds] built one of those cheap automatic antenna tuners you see everywhere — this one scaled up to 350 watt capability. The kit is mostly built, but you do have to add the connectors and a few other stray bits. You can see how he did it in the video below.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Lenovo expands PC production in India, aims to produce 100% of PCs for the Indian market in the country (Updated)

    Lenovo announced that it will move 100% of its laptop manufacturing capacity to India in the next three years.

  • Hackaday ☛ Satellite Imagery You Can Play With

    Satellite imagery is in the news right now, but not all satellite constellations are the preserve of governments. Satellogic operates a series of CubeSats with Earth imaging payloads, and best of all, they maintain an open dataset. [Mark Litwintschik] takes us through using it.

  • Hackaday ☛ Hacking A Heavyweight Philco Radio

    There’s something magical about the clunk of a heavy 1950s portable radio – the solid thunk of Bakelite, the warm hum of tubes glowing to life. This is exactly why [Ken’s Lab] took on the restoration of a Philco 52-664, a portable AC/DC radio originally sold for $45 in 1953 (a small fortune back then!). Despite its beat-up exterior and faulty guts, [Ken] methodically restored it to working condition. His video details every crackling capacitor and crusty resistor he replaced, and it’s pure catnip for any hacker with a soft spot for analog tech. Does the name Philco ring a bell? Lately, we did cover the restoration of a 1958 Philco Predicta television.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • Latvia ☛ Latvia's hospitals €40 million short for inpatient treatment this year

    The National Health Service (NVD) has calculated that there is a shortfall of about EUR 40 million to treat as many patients in hospital this year as last year, reports the Latvian Television program" De Facto" on March 9.

  • New York Times ☛ Covid’s Deadliest Effect Took Five Years to Appear

    What once belonged to all of us now belongs to corporations.

  • New York Times ☛ Covid’s Long-Term Effects on the Lungs, Gut, Brain and More

    Five years on, scientists are starting to understand how the virus can lead to long-term, sometimes invisible changes.

  • New York Times ☛ Covid-19: Enduring Images of a Global Crisis, 5 Years On

    New York Times photographers covered Covid-19 throughout the world. These pictures, and the moments behind them, stayed with them.

  • University of Michigan ☛ COVID-19, influenza, RSV, birdflu and norovirus outbreaks converge across the U.S. and UMich campus

    Five simultaneous outbreaks of norovirus, birdflu, influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus are occurring across the county, putting a strain on health care systems nationwide. Norovirus outbreaks have more than doubled, with 1,676 reported between Aug. 1, 2024, and Feb. 5, 2025.

  • New York Times ☛ Why Older People May Not Need to Watch Blood Sugar So Closely

    Intensive management of diabetes pays fewer dividends as patients age and raises the chances of hypoglycemia. But many people have not gotten the message.

  • New York Times ☛ Kennedy Links Measles Outbreak to Poor Diet and Health, Citing Fringe Theories

    In a recent interview, the health secretary also suggested that the measles vaccine had harmed children in West Texas, center of an outbreak.

  • University of Michigan ☛ U-M Precision Health becoming Hey Hi (AI) & Digital Health Innovation

    Precision Health at the University of Michigan is joining forces with two other U-M health-focused initiatives under the brand of Hey Hi (AI) & Digital Health Innovation.

  • UM-Flint expands Standardized Patient Program with duo’s help

    A mother-son duo have become essential contributors to UM-Flint's Standardized Patient Program, which help students in the School of Nursing through health care simulations.

  • University of Michigan ☛ UMich study reveals experiences of women farmworkers in Michigan

    Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health published a study detailing the unique experiences of women farmworkers in the state of Michigan. Researchers examined occupational and social challenges faced by women farmworkers, focusing their findings on five specific dimensions: gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, reproductive health concerns, pregnancy challenges and work-life balance issues.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong health authorities warn of norovirus infection risk in Japan amid food poisoning cases

    Hong Kong health authorities have warned residents to be vigilant while travelling in Japan following reports of more than a hundred cases of norovirus infections involving contaminated food in the country.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Top US health agency makes $25,000 buyout offer to most of its employees

    Most of the 80,000 federal workers of the Health and Human Services Department were emailed an offer to leave their job for as much as a $25,000 payment.

  • Science Alert ☛ New Protein Discovery Could Rival Ozempic With Fewer Side Effects

    Early results are promising.

  • Science Alert ☛ Expert Explains The Deadly Virus Behind Hollywood Tragedy

    What is a hantavirus?

  • Science Alert ☛ Having Surgery at The End of The Week Could Make a Concerning Difference

    The weekend effect is real.

  • Latvia ☛ Risk of bird flu remains real in Latvia

    With the onset of warmer weather and migratory bird migration, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) urges poultry keepers to be cautious and to observe biosecurity to prevent poultry from contracting highly pathogenic avian influenza. Citizens are also urged to report dead wild birds to the PVD.

  • New York Times ☛ Syrians Demand Better Protection Amid a Spate of Kidnappings

    When the new government took over, it dismissed the Assad regime police and other forces, leaving a security vacuum. Now, many residents fear going out after dark.

  • France24 ☛ Syria in mourning after mass killings in Alawite region

    Just three months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's régime in Syria, the new government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, have drawn international condemnation for a four day spiral of violence in the regions of Latakia and Tartus. When a group of gunmen loyal to Assad ambushed Syrian security forces, they hit back with a series of attacks that killed nearly 1500 people, including 973 civilians according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.

  • France24 ☛ Syria's government signs deal with Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast

    The Syrian government reached a breakthrough deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that control the northeast of the country, the Syrian presidency said on Monday. The agreement would bring most of Syria under the control of the central government that replaced the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in December.

  • France24 ☛ Can the new Syria keep it together? Massacres prompt fears of return to civil war

    Three months on, could Syria slide back into civil war?In the Alawite bastion of ousted president Bashar al-Assad, the bloodiest week in years with attacks and revenge killings of civilians that the new masters of Damascus are scrambling to contain. Why did the Mediterreanean coast region erupt? What triggered it?

  • France24 ☛ Fact-checking footage claiming to show deadly violence in Syria

    In Syria, which is experiencing its deadliest violence since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, gruelling images showing attacks and dead civilians have emerged. But there’s also been plenty of images circulating online using misleading, out-of context, and dated footage. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

  • Pro Publica ☛ What a Wrongful Death Lawsuit Reveals About Lincare, America’s Largest Oxygen Provider

    Lincare, a giant respiratory-device supplier with a long history of fraud settlements and complaints about dismal service, is facing its latest legal challenge: a lawsuit that claims its failures caused the death of a 27-year-old man with Down syndrome.

    The case, set to go to trial in state court in St. Louis on March 17, centers on the 2020 death of LeQuon Marquis Vernor, who suffered from severe obstructive sleep apnea and relied on a Lincare-supplied BiPAP machine to help him breathe while sleeping. The lawsuit, filed by his mother, accuses Lincare of negligence after the company took seven days to respond to her report that the device had stopped working.

  • Pro Publica ☛ These Topics Are Being Scrutinized at the National Cancer Institute

    Employees at the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, received internal guidance last week to flag manuscripts, presentations or other communications for scrutiny if they addressed “controversial, high profile, or sensitive” topics. Among the 23 hot-button issues, according to internal records reviewed by ProPublica: vaccines, fluoride, peanut allergies, autism.

    While it’s not uncommon for the cancer institute to outline a couple of administration priorities, the scope and scale of the list is unprecedented and highly unusual, said six employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. All materials must be reviewed by an institute “clearance team,” according to the records, and could be examined by officials at the NIH or its umbrella agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Proprietary

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Asana shares plunge over 25% on weak outlook and CEO Dustin Moskovitz’s retirement

    Shares in Asana Inc. fell more than 25% in late trading today after the work management software company fell short with its outlook that was delivered alongside otherwise reasonable quarterly earnings.

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    • New Yorker ☛ Can Artificial Intelligence Stir-Fry?

      Ed Zitron, an Hey Hi (AI) skeptic worried about “rot-com” in the tech industry, gives robot-fried chicken a try.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Huawei reportedly acquired two million Ascend 910 Hey Hi (AI) chips from TSMC last year through shell companies

      According to CSIS, Huawei has millions of Hey Hi (AI) chips from SMIC despite yield problems.

  • Social Control Media

    • Digital Music News ☛ TikTok: Maybe There’s a Negotiation On the Table, Maybe Not — Convicted Felon Says the Derby Is Happening

      Is a Fentanylware (TikTok) negotiation even on the table? Convicted Felon says the US is talking to four different groups on the potential sale. But ByteDance isn’t convinced. Over the weekend, The Insurrectionist said aboard Air Force One that his administration is in contact with four different groups interested in purchasing Fentanylware (TikTok) from the China-based ByteDance.

• Pseudo-Open Source

  • Openwashing

    • Silicon Angle ☛ SambaNova debuts framework for lower-cost, open-source deep research agents

      Artificial intelligence chip startup SambaNova Systems Inc. said today it has developed a new framework for AI-powered “deep research” that can generate in-depth reports up to three times faster, and at much lower cost, than is possible with existing research-focused systems.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 3 Hongkongers awaiting rescue from Myanmar scam farms, gov’t says

      Three Hong Kong residents are still waiting to be rescued from scam farms in Myanmar, the city’s government has said. A dedicated task force under the Security Bureau pledged to “actively follow up” on the remaining three cases. Since mid-2024, authorities have received a total of 28 reports linked to Hongkongers trafficked to Southeast Asia.

    • Silicon Angle ☛ X hit by large-scale DDoS attack disrupting services for hours

      Services at X Corp., formerly Twitter, were heavily disrupted today after the company was targeted in a distributed denial-of-service attack for which a pro-Palestinian hacking group has taken credit.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • China ramps up surveillance of residents through video cameras

      The report to the National People’s Congress offers a rare glimpse into local ‘grid’ surveillance systems.

    • Michael Geist ☛ The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 228: Kumanan Wilson on Why Canadian Health Data Requires Stronger Privacy Protection in the Convicted Felon Era

      The craziness of the Convicted Felon administration relationship with Canada was on full display this past week as seemingly every day involved some form of policy change on tariffs – first on, then slightly delayed for some goods, then slightly delayed for more goods and by week’s end threats of new tariffs.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ Controversial YouTuber Johnny Somali pleads guilty to all charges in Seoul court

    He faced public backlash in South Korea for controversial actions, including kissing a “comfort woman” statue.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia warns against travelling to southern Thailand after attacks

    Five people were killed and 13 others were injured in the attacks.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US says it’s pushing to speed up Taiwan weapons shipments

    Taiwan depends on US military support to fend off China.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China army vows to tighten its ‘noose’ around Taiwan if separatism escalates

    By Sam Davies China’s military vowed Sunday to tighten its “noose” around Taiwan if separatism on the island escalated, warning independence proponents to step back from the “precipice”. Beijing considers the self-ruled island of Taiwan to be part of its territory and has not ruled out using military force to claim it.

  • Taiwan considers prison for China sympathizers in military

    Disloyal personnel could be jailed for up to 7 years.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China vows utmost efforts for ‘peaceful reunification’ with Taiwan

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Taiwan would never be a “country”.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Chinese shoppers shrug off tariffs on US farm products, pantry staples

    For the average buyer, China has more than enough for everyone.

  • New York Times ☛ With U.S. Aid Cuts No Longer a Threat, Rwanda Bets Big on Soft Power

    Rwanda appears to be betting on its reputation as a key security partner and sports destination to minimize any backlash to its involvement in the war.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Tom Cotton Does Nothing as OPM Hack Equivalent Happens in Plain Sight

    It's time members of Congress tasked with overseeing national security, starting with Tom Cotton, start to show some interest in the databases impacting the entire country being accessed in insecure fashion.

  • The Straits Times ☛ India's Modi to back Mauritius sovereignty over Chagos, upgrade security ties

    NEW DELHI - India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Mauritius on Tuesday for talks on upgrading strategic ties, days after U.S. President The Insurrectionist signalled support for a deal between Mauritius and Britain over the future of a U.S.-British military base.

  • France24 ☛ Hundreds massacred in Syria, casting doubt on new government's ability to rule

    More than 1,000 people, mostly Alawite civilians, have been killed by security forces in just a few days, throwing into question the ability of Syria's new government to maintain peace in a country still suffering the effects of more than a decade of civil unrest.

  • The Strategist ☛ Australia needs to manufacture change to ensure national security

    After decades of gradual decline, Australia’s manufacturing capability is no longer mission-fit to meet national security needs.

  • Defence Web ☛ SA Navy frigate wraps two-month maritime protection tasking

    SAS Amatola (F145) completed a seven-week Operation Corona maritime tasking which saw a diversion to Durban to pay South African naval respects to the newest guided missile stealth frigate in the Indian Navy – INS Tushil (F70).

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Syria’s women face a new chapter. Here’s how to amplify their voices.

    It is critical for women to be involved in transitional justice and constitutional reform processes in Syria.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea fires missiles after slamming US-South Korea drills

    South Korea’s military said the missiles were fired from the North’s western region towards the Yellow Sea.

  • The Straits Times ☛ North Korea fires ballistic missiles as US, South Korea hold drills

    The missiles were fired towards the sea off the South’s west coast.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s America First policies targeting South Korea: Acting President Choi Sang-mok

    Seoul may also take a hit from Convicted Felon’s bid to scrap a key semiconductor subsidy law.

  • North Korea test fires missiles as US, South Korea begin exercise

    Washington and Seoul started annual military drills on Monday to counter North Korean threats.

  • North Korea disguises long-range missile base as golf course: research group

    The base in South Pyongyang is believed to include launchpads and storage for long-range missiles.

  • North Korea publicly executes 3 men for trying to escape by boat to South Korea

    Each man was shot 90 times and their remains were burned, all to scare other potential escapees, residents said.

  • France24 ☛ How dependent are Europe's militaries on the US?

    European NATO countries are taking urgent steps to boost their armaments industries amid mounting concern about the strength of Washington's commitment to their security. FRANCE 24 spoke to Richard Aboulafia, managing director at consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory, about the challenges of scaling up domestic and pan-European defence industries and the dangers of reliance on US military equipment.

  • Defence Web ☛ ALTI Unmanned takes flight into fully electric future

    Knysna, South Africa-based unmanned aerial systems (UAS) designer and manufacturer, ALTI has officially announced its transition to a fully electric fleet, starting with the launch of its Transition e-VTOL UAS. The company said this aircraft represents a significant leap forward in sustainable aerial technology, catering to military, security, and conservation missions.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • France24 ☛ European and NATO countries convene in Paris for Ukraine security talks

      Military and NATO leaders from 30 countries are convening in Paris on Tuesday to discuss security assurances for Ukraine post-truce. The meeting aligns with efforts to enhance Europe's defenses and reduce reliance on the US, amid shifting alliances under Hell Toupée's administration.

    • France24 ☛ Polish PM Tusk cautions 'friends' against arrogance after Starlink spat

      An extraordinary social control media row erupted over the weekend between top U.S. and Polish officials over Starlink. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski of "making things up" and suggested on Sunday he was ungrateful, in a strong rebuke after Sikorski said Ukraine may need an alternative to MElon's Starlink satellite service if it becomes unreliable. FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza reports.

    • France24 ☛ Zelensky, ahead of US talks, says Russia 'only reason' no peace in Ukraine

      A Ukrainian delegation set to meet with America’s top diplomat in Saudi Arabia about ending the 3-year war with Russia will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes, as well as the release of prisoners, two senior Ukrainian officials said Monday. FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade reports.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine 'knows the value of peace better than anyone', former defense minister says

      Volodymyr Zelensky and Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of ceasefire talks on Monday as Ukraine's proposal for a partial truce raised hopes of a breakthrough after three years of war. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to Ukraine's former defense minister and government advisor Andriy Zagorodnyuk. He says that Ukraine still hopes that it can build up better relations with the US administration and that it knows the value of peace better than anyone.

    • France24 ☛ Zelensky arrives in Saudi Arabia for crucial peace talks with US officials

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Saudi Arabia for crucial talks on ending the war with Russia. He is scheduled to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before joining US and Ukrainian officials for negotiations on a peace framework and potential ceasefire. The talks in Jeddah mark the first meeting between the two sides since Zelensky's White House visit last month. Here is Philip Turle's analysis.

    • LRT ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man positioning leaves Baltics walking a tightrope

      The Insurrectionist's decision to halt aid to Ukraine and attempt to improve relations with Russia has forced the Baltic states to strike a balance between Europe and the US.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Arrives In Saudi Arabia Ahead Of High-Stakes US-Ukraine Talks

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Saudi Arabia on March 10 where he is scheduled to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the kingdom.

    • New Yorker ☛ What’s Next for Ukraine?

      The war’s underlying logic has been flipped on its head since the White House meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and The Insurrectionist.

    • New Yorker ☛ Should We View Tatlin as a Russian Constructivist or a Ukrainian?

      In “Tatlin: Kyiv,” at the Ukrainian Museum, the revolutionary artist—a star of the avant-garde while the Soviet Union still permitted one—is Volodymyr, not Vladimir.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Near front line, Ukrainians brace for the impact of US aid cuts

      Ukrainians fear that though the lack of U.S. military aid may not be much felt on the battlefield, civilians will suffer badly from Russian bombing.

    • New York Times ☛ As Ukraine and U.S. Cease-Fire Talks Near, Gulfs Remain

      American and Ukrainian representatives will meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, but the United States, Ukraine and Russia envisage very different paths to peace.

    • New York Times ☛ Rubio Seeks Cease-Fire in Ukraine After Reaching His Own With MElon

      After blowing up at MElon, Secretary of State Marco Rubio aims to bolster his position. He is seeing Saudi and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia and allied diplomats in Canada.

    • New York Times ☛ MElon Says X Outages Were Caused by a Cyberattack From Ukraine

      The billionaire’s social control media site X suffered outages, and Tesla’s stock tanked on Monday.

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky Meets With Saudi Crown Prince Before U.S.-Ukraine Talks

      The prince wants Saudi Arabia to be a middleman in peace talks. Ukraine’s leader said they’d discussed “steps and conditions needed to end the war.”

    • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man’s Attacks Give Zelensky a Popularity Boost in Ukraine

      The Ukrainian leader’s approval rating is rising, and critics have backed off after he was humiliated and criticized by Hell Toupée, who has also demanded new elections in Ukraine.

    • New York Times ☛ Romania Bars Ultranationalist Candidate From Presidential Race

      The country’s electoral commission ruled on Sunday that Calin Georgescu, an outspoken critic of Ukraine and NATO, could not compete in the do-over election.

    • Latvia ☛ 48,000 Ukrainians currently under Latvian protection

      On 31 January 2025, almost 4.3 million non-EU citizens who fled Ukraine as a consequence of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine had temporary protection status in the EU. The EU countries hosting the highest number of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine were Germany (1 170 250 people; 27.3% of the EU total), Poland (993 015; 23.2%) and Czechia (394 985; 9.2%).

    • Latvia ☛ Saeima speaker joins celebrations in Lithuania

      Speaker of the Latvian Saeima Daiga Mieriņa is in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius from March 10 to 11, where she will congratulate Latvia's southern neighbor on the 35th anniversary of its restoration of independence, as well as meet with the speakers of the parliaments of Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Ukraine.

    • Meduza ☛ Trump says U.S. has 'just about’ resumed intelligence sharing with Ukraine — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Washington to gauge Kyiv’s readiness for territorial concessions in talks

    • Meduza ☛ Russian troops crawl through gas pipeline in Kursk region raid

    • Meduza ☛ The aftermath of Russia’s deadly strike on Ukraine’s Dobropillia

    • Meduza ☛ Ukraine loses ground in Kursk as Trump pauses intel sharing

    • Meduza ☛ Ukrainian troops in Kursk region ‘not at risk of encirclement yet,’ top commander says — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Why Putin’s plan to pack the legislature with veterans won’t change Russian politics

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Here’s a Ukraine peace plan Convicted Felon can use to deter—not appease—Putin

      Putting the possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine squarely on the table provides leverage in negotiations with Russia, a new essay argues.

    • Meduza ☛ U.S. to hold parallel talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia

    • Meduza ☛ Russian doctors performed abortions without anesthesia, women report

    • LRT ☛ Jauniškis to be appointed Lithuania’s ambassador to NATO – sources

      The outgoing head of Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD), Darius Jauniškis, will be appointed the country’s ambassador to NATO, three unrelated sources have confirmed to BNS.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Security Week ☛ US Seizes Garantex in Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Bust

      Two men linked to Garantex are accused of facilitating multi-billion dollar money laundering and sanctions violations.

    • LRT ☛ Some flights from Vilnius, Kaunas canceled due to strike in Germany

      A one-day strike by workers at 13 major airports in Germany led to the cancellation of some flights from Lithuania to the country on Monday.

    • Pro Publica ☛ Connecticut Lawmakers Seek Overhaul of Towing Laws

    • Latvia ☛ Ferry traffic unlikely to return to Rīga anytime soon

      There has been no regular ferry service from Riga since 2020. At that time, the Covid-19 pandemic shut it down and no routes have been restored. The Ministry of Transport has concluded that if the country wants to restore ferry services to Stockholm, for example, it will have to invest, Latvian Television reports.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Defence Web ☛ Rhino poaching down last year, KZN still bears the brunt

      KwaZulu-Natal now has the unwanted title of being South Africa’s most targeted rhino poaching province. The province, according to Forestry, Fisheries and Environment minister Dion Georg, lost 232 rhinos to poachers in 2024, with him, according to a statement, calling this “a notable decline” from the 325 in 2023.

    • Hackaday ☛ Conservationists Are Flying Microlites To Teach Birds How To Migrate

      When it comes to what birds have and what humans don’t, your mind might first land on the ability to fly. However, birds are also pretty good at navigating from the air… assuming, that is, they know where they’re trying to go in the first place.

    • New York Times ☛ Think You Understand Your Dog? Think Again.

      People interpret a dog’s emotions based on its situation and have “a big blind spot” for the actual animal, a new study found.

  • Overpopulation

    • Science Alert ☛ Record Drop in Europe's Birth Rates in 2023 Risks Future Labor Shortage

      Well below replacement level.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia’s new pension fund rule for foreign workers will boost EPF but is thin on details

    EPF contributions for foreign workers will boost the fund and make it more attractive to hire locals.

  • New York Times ☛ What Slowdown? Pooh-tin Says China Must Win the Global Tech Race.

    Xi Jinping wants China to surpass rivals as a tech superpower, undeterred by economic woes or trade wars. Critics ask if this focus neglects struggling citizens.

  • The Straits Times ☛ In deflation-hit China, one store holds flash sales four times a day

    Consumers grappling with uncertainty over jobs, incomes increasingly turning to discount stores.

  • Latvia ☛ Inflation on the rise in February in Latvia

    Latvia's inflation is on the rise again according to latest data published March 10.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Indonesia's central bank uses Ramadan sermons to preach on inflation

    Waiting to break their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, clerics in the Indonesian town of Majalengka gathered for an unusual briefing on the subject of inflation, led by the country's central bank.

  • Silicon Angle ☛ Oracle misses expectations and guidance was also weak, sending its stock lower

    Shares of the database and business software giant Oracle Corp. headed lower in extended trading today after it missed analysts’ expectations for its latest financial results.

  • Latvia ☛ Contraband challenges changing in Latvia's eastern Latgale region

    Latvia's eastern border plays an important role in the context of national security and economy, and the Latgale region as a whole faces additional challenges caused by the relentless influx of contraband goods into the country.

  • European Commission ☛ EU and Korea deepen ties with landmark digital trade deal

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 10 Mar 2025 The EU and the Republic of Korea have concluded negotiations for a landmark Digital Trade Agreement (DTA), underscoring their commitment to a strong and reliable partnership that is fit to face the fast-paced digital developments of today.

  • Tariffs could further hit Hong Kong’s struggling container ports

    Business has been plummeting for some time as the city loses crucial transshipment traffic.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China-US trade war heats up as Beijing’s tariffs on American agricultural products take effect

    By Peter Catterall Beijing’s tariffs on certain US agricultural goods in retaliation for The Insurrectionist’s latest hike on Chinese imports came into force Monday, as trade tensions mount between the world’s two leading economies.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong’s Newport Theatre to close down in April after 20 years in operation

    Hong Kong’s Newport Theatre has announced it will shut its doors on April 1 after 20 years of operation, the latest sign that a weak box office performance continues to plague the city’s cinema sector.

  • Mexico News Daily ☛ Sheinbaum gives celebratory public address following US tariffs suspension

    "Due to the strength of the people of Mexico, we gather here to congratulate ourselves," President Sheinbaum said on Sunday, three days after she again averted tariffs on exports to the U.S.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • The Straits Times ☛ Flurry of pledges to align HK’s development with China’s reflects pressure from Beijing

    Hong Kong officials have caught on to the central government’s method of communication.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Dalai Lama says his successor to be born in ‘free world’ outside China

    He says the campaign for the freedom of the Tibetan people will continue “no matter what”, even after his death.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group calls for governments to provide support to Tibetans in exile

    Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that governments should provide more support to Tibetans in exile, on Monday, marking the 66th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against China, where Tibetans gathered in Lhasa, to protest against Chinese occupation and protect the Dalai Lama, who was under the threat of assassination.

  • LRT ☛ Lithuania ready to send ambassador to China if Beijing sends one to Vilnius – PM

    Lithuania is ready to send an ambassador or diplomatic envoy to China if Beijing sends one to Vilnius, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has said.

  • Observers dismiss latest junta plan for Myanmar elections

    The military can only enforce a vote in less than half of townships and is mistrusted by the public.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • Digital Music News ☛ Sony Music Formally Pushes Back Against the UK’s Proposed Hey Hi (AI) Regulations, Pointing to 75,000+ Deepfake Takedowns

      As the UK considers a controversial Hey Hi (AI) law, Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has revealed that it’s taken down a total of over 75,000 tracks containing unauthorized soundalike audio. SME disclosed as much in remarks submitted as part of a consultation on Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly regulations.

    • Media Watch: How US political satires amplify misinformation in China

      Experts cited cultural differences as a main cause, among others.

• Censorship/Free Speech

  • JURIST ☛ US immigration agents detain Palestine student leader at Columbia University

    US immigration agents on Saturday detained a Palestinian recent Columbia University graduate, according to a statement from Student Workers of Columbia. Mahmoud Khalil was inside a residence owned by the University when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered his apartment and took him into custody.

  • France24 ☛ Leader of Columbia student protests against Gaza war faces deportation

    Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian rights activist and a former Columbia University student, was arrested Sunday “in support of Hell Toupée’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism", the US Department of Homeland Security said. Khalil’s arrest follows Convicted Felon's promised crackdown on students who joined protests against the war in Gaza last spring.

  • New York Times ☛ Mahmoud Khalil Was Public Face of Protest Against Israel at Columbia

    Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident of the United States, was arrested in his Manhattan apartment and sent to Louisiana. His detention sets up a fight over free speech.

  • Marcy Wheeler ☛ Stephen Miller Makes a Case to Defund or Deport MElon

    Compared to Columbia, MElon has been downright solicitous of antisemitism. As a government contractor and platform for government speech, that should make Xitter and MElon himself liable for action under Convicted Felon's Executive Orders purporting to combat antisemitism.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • CS Monitor ☛ Amid a torrent of news, eddies of calm

    In the first months of 2025, important news from the U.S. political sphere has dominated the headlines. But equally as critical are the stories that don't plaster the front page.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Noel Clarke gives evidence in Guardian libel trial: Publisher ‘smashed my life’

    Day two of libel trial at London's High Court.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • JURIST ☛ Bahrain abuse of children to quell dissent violates international law: report

    Bahrain’s systematic practices of detaining and abusing children to quell dissents violate international law, according to a report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) on Monday.

  • JURIST ☛ Human rights groups urge EU to reject proposed Omnibus Directive

    Over 360 human rights organizations and activists, including the International Federation for Human Rights and eleven of its member groups, urged the EU to reject the proposed “Omnibus” directive, arguing that it would significantly weaken corporate sustainability laws.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • Internet Society ☛ How the South Sudan Chapter Mobilized to Keep the Internet On

    On 22 January 2025, the National Communications Authority of the Republic of South Sudan instructed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the country to begin blocking Fentanylware (TikTok) and Facebook (Farcebook) for a minimum of 30 days, with the potential to extend this up to 90 days.

  • Public Knowledge ☛ Public Knowledge Proposes Section 230 Reforms That Address Harms While Protecting Free Expression

    The potential harms of digital content online can be devastating — but removing Section 230 would only devastate freedom of expression in its place.

  • Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

    • Lou Plummer ☛ Communication Evolution

      I like to look at my usage stats from time to time. My goal each month is to have less than five minutes of actual voice use. I don't care how much data I burn through or how many messages I send and receive, I just don't want to talk on the phone. This isn't the 80s.

  • Daniel Pocock ☛ Domain password giveaway: NickDelehanty.ie Irish Elections 2024

    Look at how much money the FSFE people have taken by impersonating the FSF. Politics aside, I'd prefer to just give Jim the domain name so that doesn't happen. [...] Then again, it raises some ethical questions: if I give a domain name to a member of the cabinet, is it a gift? If he owned it before too, and I've helped him get it back with no real benefit to myself, is it still a gift? If it is a gift and if the transfer of the domain is public knowledge, does that neutralize any ethical concerns and comply with disclosure rules?

    I hope my acquisition of the domains will encourage some productive ethical discussions about the role of technology in our democracy. While people are distracted by that, cybersquatters are busy buying up domain names that look like future candidates to replace Pope Francis. It's not polite to say that while people are praying for the Pope's recovery from illness but nonetheless, that is the behavior of real cybersquatters.

    Each .IE domain name costs about EUR 20 to register. I haven't even asked anybody to reimbourse me for that expense. Every candidate who's vote tally exceeds a quarter of a quota is able to fully recover their expenses, including domain name fees, from public funds.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Method Claims can Cover an Entire Process Flow – Including All Conditional Branches

    Sierra Wireless, ULC v. Sisvel S.p.A., Nos. 2023-1059, 2023-1085, 2023-1089, 2023-1125 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 10, 2025). 

  • Moore Vacates PTAB Finding That Some Sisvel Data Transmission Patent Claims Are Obvious

    The Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC), Kimberly Moore, on Monday authored a short precedential decision vacating and remanding a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision that had found certain claims of Sisvel’s data transmission patent monopoly to be unpatentable.

  • Unified Patents ☛ $4,000 awarded for IngenioSpec eyeware patents prior art

    Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners below totaling $4,000 in cash prizes. The patents are owned by IngenioSpec LLC, an NPE. The patents generally relate to smart eyewear. They have been asserted against Samsung, Bose Corporation, Sony, and LG.

    We would also like to thank the dozens of other high-quality submissions that were made on this patent.

  • JUVE ☛ German bluechips rarely assign dedicated board seat to IP [sic]

    According to Maria Skottke-Klein, vice president of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, “Companies with IP rights generate 68% higher revenue per employee and pay on average 19% higher salaries.”

  • KOL454 | Interview with my Patent Mentor, Bill Norvell, about Patent Law and Our Days Together

    I interviewed/had a discussion with my first IP law boss today, William C. (Bill) Norvell, Jr., about our time together when I was a new lawyer, his love of opera and so on, and his views on politics, war, Convicted Felon, and his views on the patent monopoly and IP system based on his years of experience as a patent monopoly prosecutor and patent monopoly ligitator. Bill, previously a parter with my former firm Jackson Walker, is now retired from Akerman.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: Is ECOTWEED Deceptive for "Footwear made of a Tweed-like Material"?

    The USPTO refused to register the proposed mark ECOTWEED for "Footwear made of a tweed-like material," finding the mark to be deceptive under Section 2(a) or deceptively misdescriptive under Section 2(e)(1). Applicant argued that “the word ‘tweed’ has no globally accepted precise definition” and that, instead, it “is an evolving and imprecise term," and further that ECOTWEED is a coined term and consumers would not be deceived because the prefix "eco" causes the mark to mean "something else other than just 'tweed.'" The Board rendered a split decision. How do you think it came out?

• Copyrights

  • Digital Music News ☛ Federal Judge Allows Authors’ Hey Hi (AI) Copyright Case Against Meta to Move Forward After Dismissing a Portion of the Lawsuit

    A federal judge allows an Hey Hi (AI) copyright monopoly lawsuit against Meta to move forward, though he dismissed a portion of the original suit. A group of authors, including Richard Kadrey, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and comedian Sarah Silverman, filed a lawsuit against Meta with allegations that the company violated copyright monopoly by training its Hey Hi (AI) models using their books.

  • Digital Music News ☛ RCA Greater China Targets Hip-Hop Expansion With Five-Album IRIS Chengdu Partnership

    Sony Music has made another move in China’s quick-growing music market, this time by partnering with self-described “music and art collective” IRIS Chengdu. The major label today unveiled the deal, finalized specifically between its RCA Greater China division and IRIS Chengdu.

  • Digital Music News ☛ Tool’s Destination Festival Was Not a ‘Chocolate Chip Trip’—Fans Consider Potential Class Action Lawsuit

    The first-ever ‘Tool Live in the Sand’ destination festival wasn’t a chocolate chip trip for fans—some are considering a potential class action lawsuit. The reason? Fans were disappointed the setlists between the two nights were mostly the same.